Filing appliance.



E. T. SILVIUS. FILING APPLIANCE. APPLICATION FILED mun. 191

LZQQ QOG, Patented Oct. 30, 1917.

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Patented 0013. 30, 1917.

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INVEN T 0R.

E. T., SILVIUS.

FILING APPLIANCE. APPLICATION FILED MAY :1. 19i4.

3,244,906 Patented Oct. 30,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I VITNESSES:

WEE s rarrns re ELLIS T. SILVIUS, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR, BYMESNE ASSIGNDIENTS,

TO THE MCCASKEY REGISTER COMPANY OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

, (INCORPORATED IN.1914,) OF ALLIANCE,

FILING APPLIANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 11, 1914. Serial No. 837,864.

State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Filing Appliance, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings and to the letters and figures of reference markedthereon.

The invention relates to cabinets or appliances wherein commercial orother papers may be conveniently placed and retained or filed insystematic order, more especially bill or sale slips comprising parts ofcredit systems, the invention having reference more particularly toframes or leaves for holding the papers, and means for connecting theframes or leaves together to permit them to normally stand uprightly orto lie in prone position, the invention having reference also to meansfor controlling the frames or leaves and the connecting devices thereof.

An object of the invention is to provide improved connections for filingframes or leaves that shall be so constructed that the frames or leavesshall not be unyieldingly connected together, but shall be permitted toshift longitudinally so as to be arranged in echelon or stepped orderwhen in normal position and to form a. rectangular pack when in proneposition, which connections shall permit of the connected leaves beingreadily placed in a casing or removed there from and without requiringcumbersome attachments to be carried with the frames or lea es whenremoved from their casing. A'

further object of the invention is to provide connections for the framesor leavesof relatively inexpensive and simple form, and which shallpermit of the required adjustabil'ty of the frames or leaves durlngpivotal movement thereof. A still further jects in view, the inventionconsists in a plurality of improved filing frames or leaves havingnoveldevices thereon with which novel shifting devices cooperate foradjustably connecting the leaves together for relative pivotal and alsolongitudinal movement, and improved means for controlling the connectingdevices. The invention consists further in the parts, and in thecombinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter particularlydescribed and further defined in the accompanying claims.

referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improvedfiling or credit account register constructed substantially inaccordance with the invention; Fig. 2, a section of the casing partiallybroken away approximately on the line A A in Fig. 1 minus the filingframes or leaves; Fig. 3, a fragmentary section on the line B B in Fig.1 showing the filing frames or leaves in different positions, as whenbeing moved together from normal to prone position; Fig. 4i, aperspective view of one of the connecting and controlling devices of theframes or leaves; Fig. 5, a section approximately on the line A A inFig. l, the frames or leaves beingin elevation; Fig. 6, a sectionapproximately on the line C C in Fig. 3, but partially broken away; Fig.7, a perspective view of one of the connecting devices with which theframes or leaves are preferably provided; Fig. 8, a fragmentary sectionof one of the frames or leaves looking rearward; 9, a fragmentarysection of one of the frames or leaves looking forward; Fig. 10, aperspective view of one of the links of the improved equalizingappliances ormovable abutment-s whereby the frames are maintainedvertically, and Fig. 11 is a fragmentary section showing the frames'orleaves in various positions taken on the line D D in Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters in the different figures of the drawingsindicate corresponding'elements or features of construction hereinreferred to and described in detail.

A practical embodiment of the invention comprises a suitable support,preferably formed as av casing which with the frames or leaves forms afiling cabinet, a suitable casing structure comprising a bottom 1,a back2 on the rear end of the bottom, and

Patented (Pct. so, 1917.

QZfon .pivotally supporting a complete set of filing fumes or leaves,there .being a front framelO, a suitable numberof intermediate frames11, 11, 117., and a rear frame 12, all beingsinularin construct-iongenerally or maybe variously modified to conform to filing.reouirements.

lhefront frame .L0 is provided on .opp oe sitesides near the normallower forward portion thereof with a pair of pivots or I that areremovably connected to the pivot bearings 8 and 9, the pivots preferablybeing. formed integrally oniangle corner pieces 14 and l t,respectively, suitably secured :to the lower corners oftheframes orleaves, so that the frames orileavesmay be made substantially alike,each one ofthereinaining frames or leaves beingprovided with similarpivots or truntrunnions l aand 13' nions l5 and 15 on. the lower forwardporttionsof opposite sides thereof, respectively, to serve to-connecttheleaves together. i.

pair of devices of novel form are. provided for. looselyconnecting twoad acent; onesof the frames together for relatively pivotal and alsolongitudinal movement, the. devices constituting alsocontrolling leversand comprising arms 16 and 16, respe tively, each.-

havinga pivot hole l'l'preferably formed in alateral projectionlSadjacenttoone end of f the. arm, whereby the devices are connected tothe pivots 15 and 1-5 of one frame or leaf, themajor portion ofthedevicesextendingadjacentto the opposite sides ofthe next adjacentforward frame. or leaf; Each one. ofthe frames or leaves exceptingtherear leaf12 is. provided withguide studs 19' and "19 on opposite sides.thereof Yrespectively, the studs being adjacent to the rear portion.offtheleaf and farther upward than the pivots or trunnions, and'they.extend.

through .guideways or. slots formedinthe controlling .devices or. leversand each guide way is approximately heshaped, so that thereare branches20 and 20 that normally are nearly or approximately vertical and.

connecting branches. 21 and 21 th'atiextend forwardly andupwardly.fromthe ZIPPFOXI: matelycvertical branches whenthe framescor leaves are in:normal position, and the studs,

are in thelower ends offthe vertical branches of the slots when theleavesareupright and in the connecting branches when the leaves are inprone position, the studs being shifted in. theslots duringmovement ofthe leaves between .uprigh't and proneposition, or vice versz. Theopposite sides of each one. e:- cepting the rear frame are provided alsowith projecting pivotal studs and 22 respectively that are arrangedfarther t pward on the-leaves than the guide studs and relativelynearer. to the forward face of the frame or leaf, to be periodicallyengaged by concave pivot seats :23 sand 23. formed on the forwardportion. of the. controllingdevices at i a suitable distance from-'tlrevpivots 15 andv15 respectively, the seats preferably being formedinlateral projections Qand 2% respectively, formedHon-ithe devices so asto constitute levers which have also other pivot seats or bearings 25and 25 respec tively thatare periodically seated on pivot studs 26 and26 formed on opposite sides respectively ofeach oneexcepting the rearleaf approximately midway. between the front andrear faces of the leafand farther down on the leaf than the guide studs 19' and 19. The'leversnormally arein contact with the pivot studs 22vand 22, but when theframes are in proneposit-ion are incontact with the pivot studs 25 and26 respectively, thepoints ofcontact changing during pivot-alanovementof the raines, while the guide studs moving in their guidewayspermitrelatively longitudinal movementof the: frames or leaves. Theoppositeends of the arms of the levers are provided with lateral wrist.pins 1 27 and Q/F' respectively, which preferablya-re providedwithrollers 28, 23, for smoothly guiding the. operations of. the connectingand controlling devices;

For the purpose ofcontrollingthe frames or leaves and themovenientsthereof, a rair of guideplates and 30 are suitably cured to theinnerfacesofthe sides 3 and d respectivelyand are provided with asuitable number of guideways for the rollers or wrist pins. of. thecontrolling levers, one, plate having, curved. guideways 31, 32,andfifinwhich' the rollers 28 are guided, the companion platechavingguideways 31?, 3;, .33.. and 3%. in which the rollers 28 are: guided.The curvature of. the different guideways varies so as to permitfreeaction oftheseveral controlling levers whether all the leavesare-movedtogether on the pivot-s oflthe, frontleaf or onthe pivots of Iother leaves, and the lower walls of the guideways have downwardlyextending forward portions 35,35, that extend pastrthe. forward ends.oftheupper. walls and from which eX- tend reversely curved portions 36,36, on; which the guide rollersv are guided when the framesarein-proneposition, so that at the. forwardends of the plates the guideways haveincreased space between the upperiandlower. walls: thereof which permitsthe pack of leaves in prone position to be readily connected to ordisconnected from the pivot bearings 8 and 9 without the rollers of thecontrolling levers interfering with. the upper walls of theirguidewa-ys.

The frames or leaves are provided with suitable clamps 37, 37, or othersuitable devices whereby papers may be removably secured to the framesor leaves, the upperforward portions of the latter being provided withindexing letters 38 or numerals 39 as may be desired, so that one mayreadily find certain papers contained in the filing cabinet or register.

The inner faces of the sides 3 and 4 are provided with a pair of channelguideways 40 and 41 formed in plates 42 and 43 respectively which aresecured to the sides and extend upwardly from the back 2 of the casingfor guiding a movable abutment or equalizer which preferably. comprisestwo side members 44 and 45 secured to two crossbars 46 and 47, onemember being provided with supporting rollers 48 and 49 that are guidedin the guideway 40, the opposite member being provided with similarrollers 48 and 49 that are guided in the guideways 41. Two links 50 and50 are pivotally connected to the cross-bars 47 and 46 respectively andcarry a back-rest 51 which is pivotally connected to suitable jaws onthe ends of the links. The lower forward portion of the back-rest isprovided with a hook 52 which normally engages a pivot 53 with which thelower rear portion of the frame or leaf 12 is provided, the rear portionof the rest 51 preferably having'a finger 54 thereon adapted to'engagethe link 50 to support the back-rest when disconnected from the rearleaf, the upper portion of the back-rest being provided with a roller 55that is normally in contact with the back of the rear frame or leaf. Therear leaf normally supports the back rest and controls its movement onits connecting links during pivotal movement of the frames or leaves.

In practical use the papers required to be filed are placed upon andretained by the filing frames or leaves so as to be accessible,additional papers being added to the papers as occasion may require. Oneor more of the frames may readily be drawn forward to prone position togain access to the papers, or the entire set of frames may be drawnforward together to prone position after which the group of frames in arectangular pack may readily be lifted from the pivot bearings 8 and 9after having disconnected the hook 52 from the pivot 53, the abutmentbeing permitted to roll away to the back 2 of the casing. During pivotalmovement of the frames from upright toprone position, while thecontrolling levers are guided by their guides the guide studs 19, 19,and the pivot studs adjacent thereto on the frames pivot studs 22 and22are shifted relatively to the pivots 15, 15, so that the frames arepermitted to move downward relatively to the adjacent forward frames, asseen in Figs. 3 and 11, and therefore when the frames assume the proneposition their normal lower ends are on one and the same plane, therebeing no obstructing elements projecting beyond such plane, andtherefore the pack of frames may be set uprightly on their own bottomsin a fireproof safe or elsewhere without requiring a specially designedor other form of holder. When it is desired to return the pack of framesto the casing, the pivots 13 and 13 are readily placed upon the bearings8 and 9 respectively, after which the abutment is drawn forward, theback-rest 51 being slightly lifted while the hook 52 is being connectedto the pivot 53, after which the set of frames is moved upward toupright position and so remain, as seen more particularly in Figs. 1 and5, each frame behind the foremost one being supported by means of itspiots 15 and 15 and the levers on the of the next adjacent forwardframe, the guide studs 19 and 19 preventing the lower ends of the framesfrom being drawn apart to any appreciable extent, so that the pivotbearings 23 cannot accidentally slide from the pivot studs 22, the arms16 of the controlling levers being retained in the proper positionby thestationary guideways on the sides of the casing. By reference to Fig. 11the specific action of the dilferent'elements of the connections of theframes will be readily understood, the position of the frame 11 beingbetween the upright and prone positions when the change of contact asbetween the pivotal studs 22 and 26 is taking place. Other results ofthe operation of the various ele ments of the invention will be readilyunderstood from the detailed description of the construction andfunction thereof without requiring further description.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is l. Afiling appliance including two adjacent filing frames one of which ispivotally supported, a controlling lever movably pivoted to thepivotally supported frame and fixedly pivoted to the other of saidframes, and means for guiding the controlling lever.

2. A filing appliance including a plurality of filing frames normallymounted uprightly in echelon, and a plurality of connecting devicescarried by and each pivotally connected to one of the frames and hav ingslotted connection with an adjacent one of the frames for permittingrelative longitudinal movement of the frames as they are operated fromupright to reclined position and vice versa.

3. A filing appliance including a plurality of filing frames normallymounted uprightly in echelon, and a plurality of conn'ecting devicescarried by and each pivotally connected to one frame and having slottedpivotal connection with an adjacent one of the frames for permittingrelative longitudinal movement of the frames as they are operated fromupright to reclined position and vice versa.

4-. A filing appliance including a plurality of filing frames, aplurality of controllin levers each pivotally connected to one or theframes and having slotted connection. with an adjacent one of theframes, and means for guiding the controlling levers.

5. A filing appliance including a filing frame provided with a guidestud, a controlling lever having shifting pivotal connection with andguided by the stud, a filing frame pivotally connected to the controlling lever and means for guiding the controlling lever.

6. A filing appliance including a. plurality of filing frames and meansconnecting and pivotallv supporting the frames uprightlv in echeloniicluding devic each movablv pivoted to one and fixedlv pivoted to anadjacent one of the frames, permitting relative pivotal and alsolongitudinal movement of the frames as they are operated from up rightto reclined position and vice versa.

7. A filing appliance including plurality of filing frames, and aplurality of connecting devices each pivotallv connected to one frameand having slotted pivotal connection with an adjacent one of theframes, each de ice having a controlling arm thereon, and means forguiding the controlling arm.

8. A filing appliance including a plurality of filing frames, one of theframes being pivotallv supported and provided with a. guide stud. acontrolling lever having a guide slot receiving the guide stud, thelever being pivotallv connected with the adjacent one of the frames, andmeans for guiding the controlling levers.

9. A filing appliance including a case, a pluralitv of filing frames,one of the frames being pivotallv supported in the case and providedwith two pivot devices, con trolling lever on the frame pivotallv connected with the adjacent one of the frames and having contact with oneof the pivot devices, and means in the case for guiding the lever fromone to the other of the pivot devices during pivotal movement of theframes- 10. A filing appliance including a filing frame provided withtwo pivot studs and also a guide stud, a controlling lever having aguide slot and also two pivot seats, the slot receiving the guide studwhereby the lever mav be guided to carry one pivot seat from one of thepivot studs and the other pivot seat to the other pivot stud, means forguiding the controlling lever and afiling frame pivoted to the lever.

11. A filing appliance including a plurality of filing frames, one ofthe frames having two pivot studs thereon and also controlling leveradapted to be moved to and have pivotal contact with either one of thestuds, means for pivotallv and slidingly guiding thelever to or from thestuds during the operation of the frame, the adjacent one of the framesheing pivoted to and normally supported by the lever.

12. A filing appliance including a casing, a plurality of framesuprightlv arranged in the casing, theforc-most one of the'frames beingpivot-allv supported, a plurality of re verselv curved guides supportedin the casing, and means for connecting the frames together to movepivotally and also longitudinally one to another and having arms movahlvguided by the guides respectively.

A filing appliance including a casing, a plurality of filing framesuprightly arranged in the casing, pivots supporting the fore nost one ofthe frames, guides mounted in the casing, and controlling levers on allexcept the rearmost frame having shifting pivotal connection wife theframeshy which they are supported and having also movahle contact withthe guides, the levers being pivoted to and directly supporting therearward adjacent frames.

is. A filing appliance including a pluralitv of frames, all exceptingthe foremost one having supporting and controlling devices having fixedpivotal connection therewith, each one excepting the rearmost one of theframes being slidablv pivoted to the devices of the forward adjacentframes, means for pivotallv supporting the foremost one of the frames,and means for variahlv guiding" the supporting and C011 trolling devicesduring movement of the frames.

15. A filing appliance including a casing, a pluralitv of framesuprightlv arranged in the ct ug, the foremost frame being pivotallvsupported, the forward adjacent frames having controlling devicespivotallv and slidingl mounted thereon and the rearward adjacent framesbeing pivoted to the devicesv and means mounted in the casing .ith whichthe controlling devices cooperate for assisting the devices to supportthe frames.

16. A filing appliance including a case and a pluralitv of filingframes, and means for connecting each. two adjacent frames to gether andoperativelv supporting them in the case, including a device carried byand having shifting pivotal connection with the forward frame and havingfixed pivotal connection with the rearward adjacent frame.

17. A filing appliance including a case having guideways therein, aplurality of filing frames uprightly arranged face to ace, a pluralityof supporting and controlling levers engaging the guideways and pivotedto the frames excepting the foremost one and having movably guidedpivotal connection with the next adjacent forward frames, the adjacentforward frames being provided with separate pivotal devices to healternatively engaged by the levers, and means for pivotally supportingthe foremost one of the frames.

18. A filing appliance including a casing comprising sides havingguideways there on, each guideway having an upper curved wall and alower curved wall, the lower wall having a downwardly curved forwardportion extending away from the upper wall, a plurality of filing framesuprightly arranged in the casing, the foremost one of the frames beingpivotally supported, and a plurality of controlling levers pivotallyconnecting the frames together for relative longitudinal movement andhaving wristpins thereon normally guided in the guideways, each leverbeing adjustably supported on the forward one and pivoted to therearward one of two adjacent frames.

19. In a filing appliance, the combination of a plurality of filingframes, one of the frames having two pivot studs thereon, the

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adjacent one of the frames being provided with a pivot, a connectingdevice connected to the pivot and, having two pivot seats adapted tohave pivotal contact with the pivot studs respectively, means betweenthe pivot studs and the pivot of the adjacent frame for movablyconnecting the device to the first described one of the frames andpermitting the contact of the pivot seats separately with the pivotstuds and means for guiding the devices from one pivotal stud to theother.

20. In a filing appliance, the combination of a plurality of filingframes, one of the frames having a guide stud and also two pivot devicesthereon, a connecting device pivoted to the adjacent frame and having aslot therein comprising two diverging branches, the slot receiving theguide stud and movably connecting the connecting device to the frame,the connecting device being adapted to have pivotal contact with eitherone of the two pivot devices and means for guiding the connectingdevices from one pivotal stud to the other.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELLIS T. SILVIUS. Witnesses J. H. GARDNER, M. E. SPARROW.

by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

